Stonewielder/Epilogue
The Velenth Suth is relaxing in a hammock on the Velenth three days out to sea. The Malazan Expeditionary Force is returning to Quon Tali and he, Goss, Keri, and Wess have not yet been formally reassigned. Goss interrupts Suth's rest to inform him that his presence has been requested by High Mage Devaleth. Devaleth and Captain Peles are investigating the events in the caves near Thol. Suth confirms that no one touched the chest containing the fragment of the Lady before Manask tossed it into the Fist Sea. Devaleth also makes sure that Suth and Peles understand that former High Fist Greymane spoke well of Fist Rillish Jal Keth before both their deaths. Suth returns to his bunk to find Goss delivering the unwanted news that Suth is sure to be promoted to sergeant. Suth fakes a polite thank you, and Goss grunts, "There you go. Now you're learning." The Hole A few days after a freak wave destroyed the docks at Ring, Ernen takes his fishing boat and three dock-front youths to the now abandoned Ring Wall. They guide their boat through the channel and over The Hole looking for salvage from the Stormguard barracks that must surely have been destroyed. Instead, one of the lads notes a figure deep below them in the unnaturally clear water. It is a giant of a man, clad in mail and holding a great grey sword to his chest. The boys claim it is a guardian who awaits the Lady's return and who must not be disturbed. They make Ernen row back to Ring for fear of awakening the fearsome figure. Newly Sovereign Kingdom of Rool Under the new order with the Malazans gone, Bakune has been made High Assessor of the kingdom's High Court. As he listens to a pair of advocates arguing over complex competing claims for the Earlship of Homdo Province, he looks out the window and sighs. Rool, the Mare frontier General Karien'el's troops finally catch up to the missing Lord Mayor Estiel Gorlings at a gloomy inn. But his great carriage is abandoned and empty. A sergeant questions the mayor regarding the location of Banith's stolen treasury and the drunken Gorlings claims it is all gone. A giant overcame all of his guards and carried off the huge iron chest himself. The disbelieving sergeant orders the Lord Mayor taken away for further questioning. Jourilan Ivanr has returned to the foot of the Iceback Range with the bodies of Martal and the Priestess. He plans to build a small monastery here and bury the blessed martyrs on the grounds. At peace with himself he resists the call for the Deliverer to return to the capital to rule the newly freed nation. Shores of Creation Kiska awakes on a sandy beach beneath a night sky devoid of stars. Leoman is there as well and when she asks where they are he names it the Shores of Creation. Nearby a creature the size of a mountain straddles the shore. A stunned Kiska sinks to the ground. She has failed to find Tayschrenn and now she is a castaway. Leoman is pleased. For once he is in a place that his enemies can not reach. Kiska's annoyance at Leoman's smug reaction drives her to her feet determined to find a way out. Kurald Emurlahn Warran stands near the site of the former Chaos Whorl in Shadow. The Tiste Liosan Commander Jayashul and her brother L'oric are limping victoriously back to camp. "That's one thing settled, at least", he thinks as an annoyed Cotillion appears next him. Now revealed as Shadowthrone, Warran argues that his actions were not a waste of time. "The creeping loss of Emurlahn is not to be ignored", he says. "No one steals from me. Not even a fish." Cotillion argues that they are too busy for this and the whorl was never a true threat. The pair depart squabbling over whether Cotillion's confidence or Shadowthrone's wariness and paranoia are more responsible for getting them where they are today. The Bloodmare Ocean Kyle is on a Katakan trading vessel slipping past the Isle of East Watch. He has had enough of war, enough of foreign lands, and enough of these Malazans. All he has in return is a sword, some new scars, and painful memories. He thinks his friend Greymane was right to leave him behind or else he would have fallen alongside him. Although there are worse deaths than falling at the side of a friend. Kyle is ready to return to the plains, to the hunt, to home. But first he will look up his friends Stalker, Coots, and Badlands. They live in a land north of his own. One he has heard called Assail. Sea of Storms A crew of fisherman south of Malaz Island pull the body of a man from the sea. They are shocked when the body suddenly takes a deep shuddering breath and demands to be brought to Unta. Halas, near Cawn Talia is sweeping the courtyard of her homestead while little Halgin plays nearby. Her contemplation is broken by the boy's sudden silence. An old man is limping up the road towards the house. Halgin recognizes the man before she does and dashes towards the road. The man approaches Talia with Halgin now clasped tightly in his arms. Inside, the newly born twins Nil and Nether cry for their food. Rillish Jal Keth is finally home at last. 1999